5 Reasons Gran Turismo 5 Will Be Worth the Wait

Now that the final release date for the fifth entry into the most successful racing series of all time has been announced, I thought it appropriate to compile a list of 5 reasons why this is the game you want in your PlayStation this holiday season.

Licences

The Gran Turismo series has always been renowned for its extensive car list, but there have been some notable license absentees. With every release that club becomes more and more exclusive, with Ferrari, Bugatti and Lamborghini, amongst others, taking to the tarmac this time around.

The NASCAR, Super GT and WRC (World Rally Championship), will also be represented, with real-life drivers from the latter, featuring within the game.

Perhaps the most exciting inclusion of all though, is the Test Track, from the hit BBC motor show Top Gear. Each and every corner will be brought to life in superb detail and essentially allow you to take on the role of The Stig, and compile your own Hot Lap board with each cars personal best time.

Technical Prowess

There are some games that improve upon winning trends, and then there are those who set new trends for others to follow. Gran Turismo falls into that category.

It wasn’t enough that the game supports full 1080p HD and the ability to export images at 1980x1080 resolution, but it is also compatible with PlayStation Move, complete with revolutionary head-tracking technology. Oh, and there’s also support for that new 3D thingy that everyone seems to be raving about.

Taking the above into account, it’s also pretty astonishing to think it will all be running at 60 frames-per-second in almost every scenario, dropping slightly below that number on the rare occasion you’re sitting at the back of the grid, with up to fifteen cars, or thirty-one karts, vying for position in front of you.

Online Mode

Many have anticipated the day Gran Turismo would venture online, ever since console gaming and the World Wide Web became one. With Gran Turismo 4 we were promised it, but sadly it never saw the light of day. Now we can finally rejoice, and pit the skills we’ve been refining over the past thirteen years to the ultimate test against the best in the land.

The game will feature a thirty-two player lobby system, which allows for sixteen simultaneous racers on track at any one time. Throw in some text and voice chat and what you’ve potentially got is an engrossing online experience.

Volume

When I say volume, I’m not talking of Forza Motorsport 3 with around 400 cars; I’m talking about 1031 cars from more manufacturers than you could ever conjure up. That isn’t just impressive, that is record-breaking, and the fact that they’re all crammed onto a single disc is difficult to comprehend.

Then there are 71 tracks from 21 different locations, with a steady mix of real world and fictional circuits, winding mountain bends and tight street corners, and challenging terrain from a handful of dirt and snow tracks. There’s now also a track creator, which allows you to recreate any locale your heart desires.

If that wasn’t enough, it’s highly likely we’ll be treated to a host of DLC, especially through PlayStation Plus, which Sony is trying to establish as a reputable and worthy service. The ability to race bikes has already been hinted at by the games producer, Kazunori Yamauchi, in a recent interview.

Attention to Detail

The cornerstone to every Gran Turismo game has been its attention to detail, and it wouldn’t be an overstatement to call the team at Polyphony Digital obsessive. It’s this very reason the release date has been pushed back so many times.

I doubt anybody is complaining though, as what we are now contemplating is a game which goes above and beyond. Of the games one thousand plus cars, over two-hundred of them are ‘Premium’ models, meaning more time has been spent perfecting them. These models will have fully-detailed cockpits and interiors, right down to the seam patterns that line the seats. You’ll even be able to choose between high and low beam headlights. That’s not all, as you’ll now be forced to juggle with real-time mechanical damage after high-impact collisions.

If you still weren’t convinced of the attention to detail, then you only need look at the graffiti on the infamous Nürburgring circuit, which has been updated to include the very latest words and sketches of its real-life counterpart.

Craig Bryan, NoobFeed